Saoirse Ronan has been told not to worry about missing out on winning an Oscar – and that it could be the best thing for her career.
That is the advice from fellow Irish actress Grainne Keenan.
There is no doubt that Ronan is on a serious roll with three Best Actress nominations in five years (for Little Women in 2020, Lady Bird in 2018 and Brooklyn in 2016) – as well as a Best Supporting Actress nomination in 2008 for her role in Atonement.
However, she is yet to win the award, a fact that Keenan believes is a blessing in disguise as women in Hollywood can become forgotten after they receive the big prize.
Keenan, who stars as Fiona in the Irish mystery drama series Blood, is a big fan of Ronan.
She believes it is harder for female stars to continue at the highest level after winning the prestigious Oscar statuette.
The Dubliner told the Irish Mirror: “I love Saoirse and would have loved to see her getting it, but I’m sure she’ll have another 20 goes at getting it.
“There’s a funny thing that happens, maybe just back in the day but when a woman wins an Oscar it’s almost like they disappear for a while after that, because that’s the end of the story.
“So maybe she should hold on from winning it for a while, so she’ll keep making great films.
“Maybe it’s her saving grace.”
Keenan added that there is a long way to go before women can feel they are given equal opportunities in the entertainment industry.
However, she believes there is a light at the end of the tunnel as audiences are becoming more discerning and the industry is starting to change to reflect this – but it is a long process.
She said: “Audiences are smarter than they’re ever given credit for.
“They have better taste than they’re ever given credit for, it feels like the industry is waking up to this.
“Women are now getting better roles, there’s still a lot to be done and it’s slowly changing, the key is to get women and diversity across the board at top levels, not just have it as window shopping.
“If you look at the inside it’s all white men. It has to change inside out not just outside in, there needs to be more female writers and producers.
“There’s always resistance to that sort of change, good stories get told anyway.
“I know America is very good at following female audiences and realising that’s where the money is.
“With Blood, it’s written by a woman, Sophie Petzal – she’s a good example of somebody who is going ‘no, this is the story, this is it’.”
Written by Michael Kehoe @michaelcalling